MENIFEE: Biggs approved as interim city attorney

The City Council voted to hire Julie Biggs as the interim city attorney during a special meeting Wednesday at City Hall.

Joseph Fletcher submitted his resignation to new Mayor Scott Mann earlier this week after the new council convened in closed session for his personnel review Dec. 4.

An attorney at Irvine-based Aleshire & Wynder, Biggs last worked as a city attorney for Wildomar. She also has provided legal counsel to the cities of Banning, Goleta, Laguna Woods, Hemet and Colton.

She will earn $175 per hour for up to 50 hours ($8,750) a month for general legal services.

The council approved Biggs’ appointment with a 3-0 vote after a closed session Wednesday. Councilman John Denver said he abstained because he had too little information about Biggs, while Mann recused himself from the process because of a potential perception of a conflict of interest.

Mann said Biggs' family was a direct supporter of his mayoral campaign. He also said he and Biggs worked together for nearly a year on the Romney-Ryan 2012 campaign.